Pandora's Box (A beautiful story!)

There are many versions of the story. It was made popular by Hesiod's Works and Days. I put this in The Philosophy and Metaphysics section because of the lesson of this story. Maybe, many people will have different opinions on it, what is yours? Here is my retelling of the story:


Once upon a time, there was a young women named Pandora, which means "All-Giving", because she was given many divine gifts. She fell in love with a man, but his brother warned him to be careful of divine gifts because they always come with a price. He ignored his warning, and as time passed they grew more in love. The couple decided to marry. They were given a beautifully divine box for their wedding gift. There was one condition however, that the box never be opened. Pandora always wondered what was in the box but, never dared to open it. As time passed, her desire to know what was in the box grew more and more.

One day, when she was alone, she decided to take a peak into the box. What could be inside of it? Is it jewels, money, or cloths? Why was she not allowed to open it? She slowly walked up to the box, took out a huge key, and slowly unlocked it. The room was quiet and many thoughts were running through her mind. She opened the lid, just a little bit, and took a peak inside. She looked inside and only saw darkness.

Before she realized it, the darkness of the box consumed the entire room. There were spirits of greed, pride, wrath, envy, longing, and all of the vices of mankind. These spirits were expanding and spreading over the entire world. She stared at the box in astonishment and utter horror with shame and fear of divine judgment, but then she realized a small beautiful light shining from within the box. As she looked inside, she saw the spirit of hope twirling around. She began to smile and felt more relaxed. She closed the box wishing to hold on to this little bit of hope forever. Suddenly she heard a voice. "Don't worry about it, we knew that you would open the box from the beginning"...

That's a good story. Second line.

reply to post by arpgme


very cool,.,., reminds me of adam and eve in the garden of eden story,..,.. the Gods had the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden and commanded them not to eat from it,,,, yet it was only a matter of time before their temptation would get the better of them...

Yes, but my question was what is your interpretation of this story? What do you think the lesson is here?

reply to post by arpgme


the same in both too me, thats why i brought it up.,,.,.,.

there is potentially good and bad in infinity,,.,.,.

pandoras box equals all things,.,.,. she eventually got curious to discover what she did not know..,., she did not know what was in the box,..,,. her curiosity eventually forced her to peek inside.,.inside were all kinds of things,,,..., there was lots of bad,,, but also hope which can be seen as good,..,.,,.

adam and eve ( human kind),.,. eventually got curious to discover knowledge of good and evil,,, and with knowledge of good and evil,.,.,. there comes good and bad,.,.,

at the end of pandoras box,,, "someone" says they knew she would open it,,.,.,.I dont know who the someone represents or what that part of it represents,,,, but it could mean,, eventually curiosity will force us to turn over every rock and look inside every box,,,., because we want to know,..,.,

reply to post by ImaFungi


I agree, to me, Pandora's opening of the box was akin to Eve's eating of the apple...

Gnobody

reply to post by arpgme


That we can do anything if we have HOPE. For hope prevails all because it can bring forth good things we expect and want to happen.

I remember the first time I heard the story as a child, it brought tears to my eyes.

I love the Pandora story ... in the original Greek version it was a 'jar' not a 'box' that was given to Pandora ... she opened the stopper and everthing flew out ... she struggled to get the stopper back in the jar but everything had escaped and she was desolate and afraid ... but then she noticed 'hope' was stuck to the inner lip of the jar and was still inside after she replaced the stopper ...

Somebody asked the translation ... pretty obvious I would of thought ...

Whatever else you lose or leaves you in life ... HOPE will always remain ... 'never lose hope'.

Woody

Originally posted by leolady
reply to post by arpgme

 

That we can do anything if we have HOPE. For hope prevails all because it can bring forth good things we expect and want to happen.

I remember the first time I heard the story as a child, it brought tears to my eyes.

I know, it is really beautiful.

Originally posted by ImaFungi
the same in both too me, thats why i brought it up.,,.,.,.

there is potentially good and bad in infinity,,.,.,.

pandoras box equals all things,.,.,. she eventually got curious to discover what she did not know..,., she did not know what was in the box,..,,. her curiosity eventually forced her to peek inside.,.inside were all kinds of things,,,..., there was lots of bad,,, but also hope which can be seen as good,..,.,,.

All of it was bad, except for hope. That one small light inside.

Originally posted by ImaFungi
at the end of pandoras box,,, "someone" says they knew she would open it,,.,.,.I dont know who the someone represents or what that part of it represents,,,, but it could mean,, eventually curiosity will force us to turn over every rock and look inside every box,,,., because we want to know,..,.,

The voice was the one who gave the box in the first place. The voice told her to not open it but she did, and after she did that same divine voice told her that it was already known that she'd open it.

reply to post by arpgme

The voice was the one who gave the box in the first place. The voice told her to not open it but she did, and after she did that same divine voice told her that it was already known that she'd open it.

The Voice wanted her to learn

reply to post by arpgme


I see the story of Pandora as the Greek explanation for why there is evil in the world. As with most other religions, evil is correctly attributed to human beings first, Pandora opens the box, Adam and Eve are tempted to and eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the first human beings in Babylonian creation are barbaric, aggressive, dirty, and unchaste.

In all the accounts it is the gods, or God, who continually tries to give us opportunity to redeem ourselves.

In Greece, Hope remains within the box, and if the Greek strove for perfection in body, mind, and spirit, becoming heroic, than they enjoyed the benefits and rapture of the Island of Elysium after death.

In Babylon, heroes and great humans who served the gods and stood for uprightness were rewarded with immortality and admittance to the Gardens of Dilmun.

Christianity itself is God attempting to offer redemption and salvation for his beloved people, through the acts of Jesus Christ. Jews and Muslim additionally practice "nearness to God," this is seen through the dichotomy of tashbih and tanzih in Islam; and through the existence of Sheol in Judaism.

All in all, it comes down to an explanation for evil, and a reason why the gods, or God, are necessary for our redemption and salvation. The Voice left hope in the box because it knew Pandora would open it. Marduk rewarded pure humans with the Rose of Immortality. God forgives those who accept His blessing and love.

Good and evil.

~ Wandering Scribe